You might have noticed a new addition to the Library space. Located on the left side of the Service Desk on the main floor of the library and near the entrance to the Commons building, you’ll find the UBC Okanagan Seed Library!
Our Seed Library is a free program where you can select unique seeds for free to grow at home. When your plant goes to seed, you are invited to return some of the seeds to the seed library. You can also access workshops and opportunities to learn about growing and caring for plants, including transplanting, harvesting, and seed saving.
SEE THE UBC SEED LIBRARY info GUIDE
Interactions with nature, no matter how small, can help boost our wellbeing. And growing a small amount of your own food can build health and confidence!
The Seed Library operates on the honour system and members are encouraged to learn about seed saving and return high quality, open pollinated, clean seeds at the end of the growing season to help keep the Seed Library stocked. Please take only what you need for the current growing season, with a maximum of six seeds per type, and no more than 75 seeds in total for any given year.
For non-expert seed savers, we recommend starting with beans, lettuce, peas, or tomato seeds. You can learn more about seed saving through the available guides, workshops, and books. If you are unable to save your own seeds, please consider donating a packet or two of commercially grown, open pollinated seeds at the end of the season.
To become a member, fill out and submit a membership form to the Service Desk at the UBC Okanagan Library. You can find these forms at the Seed Library and can complete it while selecting your seeds.
Once you are a member, here are the instructions:
- Choose a seed pack and put 2-3 seeds in a take-home envelope.
- Copy the growing information from the seed pack onto your take-home envelope.
- Write your name and seed info on the sign-out form and bring the form to the Service Desk.
- Let your plant go to seed and bring some of the seeds back to the seed library!
Questions? Contact: libquestions.ok@ubc.ca
Coming soon: we will have a donation form if you want to donate unused seed packs from last season.